KOBE

Financial vulnerability is the optimal financial growth strategy. If you follow me on #IG (@ModomSolutions), you'll note that I post this sentiment a few times a month. I believe in the power of vulnerability: that being vulnerable - of course, in the right circles - is the genesis for exponential financial growth. Why? Well, canned financial strategies don't always address the real issue(s) we face. In some instances, they simply serve as an insufficient bandage that we lay over certain wounds. Not because we believe the wound will heal, but because we can't stand to look at something we believe can't be fixed. Kobe "Bean" Bryant's best ability was his vulnerability. He was willing to look at his wounds head-on and make the conscious decision not to allow them to fester. Kobe knew that a festering wound would weaken him and prevent him from achieving his life's goal: to prosper whatever he purposed - first basketball, then his family, and later as a storyteller and writer. With regards to basketball, he wanted "it" so bad that he asked Michael Jordan, the man he admired and desired to be better than, for advice on how he could get better. Think about that for a second. When is the last time you asked your rival for advice? Actually, when is the last time you asked anyone for help? Many of us operate passive-aggressively or as frienemies when we covet or desire what someone else has. Instead of asking them how we can get what they have, we conspire against them. Many of us focus on how we can tear them down instead of building ourselves up. Sound familiar? We are so afraid to face the festering wound of our vulnerabilities that we would rather pull others down than rise up. If we never rise, how do we create wealth? If we continue to pull those around us down, how do they create wealth? If we allow ourselves to get caught in the vicious cycle of thinking that the only way we can win is if someone else loses, how do we create the type of community to support financial growth, sustainably? We won't! Even if we get the thing we covet, we won't be able to enjoy it because of how we acquired it. Then we find ourselves spending the rest of our lives evading karma because we lack a clear conscious and peaceful heart. Our vulnerabilities are not to be avoided. They are prompting us and nudging us towards and not away from the thing that will set us free. Kobe Bryant grew to immeasurable heights because he embraced his vulnerabilities. Once he identified them, he sought help - even help from the people we'd think would be least likely to help him. If the issue was not a quick fix, he had the patience to break down a large task into small steps and celebrate getting there, where ever there was at that time, one small step at a time. Kobe Bryant was able to differentiate between his ego and achieving the goal. If I know anything about life and people, I would argue that you are sitting at the same crossroads with your personal finances: ego versus the goal? Instead of revealing your vulnerabilities, you'd rather hide your wounds. There is one issue, though. The wound is only getting worse. And, as a consequence, harder to heal. It doesn't have to be this way. Instead of mimicking the iconic "Kobe!" shot with a sock or balled-up piece of paper, let's create an even better trend. Whenever we feel the weight of our financial vulnerabilities and the rising up of our ego, let's yell out "Kobe!", face or perceived shortcomings head-on, heal, and realize that becoming the best version of ourselves is the goal. I can't help but imagine that this is what Kobe meant by the #MambaMentality. Thank you, Kobe. We got it from here! #Kobe #Money #Connection #Wisdom #ModomSolutions